JP2660226B2 - Heat treatment equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to a heat treatment apparatus.

(Prior Art) In the manufacture of semiconductors, a vertical heat treatment apparatus used to perform a process such as an oxidation process on a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, referred to as a wafer) includes a process tube inside a furnace body having an electric heater. It is provided so that it can be loaded and unloaded so that a wafer boat containing wafers can be loaded into the process tube.

The main body of the heat treatment apparatus is arranged in a through-the-wall type so as to face the clean room via a partition in order to effectively use the clean room. An opening for taking in and out the wafer boat is provided in a region on the clean room side of the main body.

In such a heat treatment apparatus, the process tube is usually set in a furnace. At the wafer transfer position, the wafer transported by the wafer carrier from the previous process is transferred to a wafer boat for heat treatment. Thereafter, a boat is placed below the process tube, and the boat is set on the process tube in the furnace, and heat treatment is performed.

If this heat treatment apparatus is used, for example, for one week, processing residues adhere to the inner wall surface of the process tube and become contaminated.
When replacing the process tube, lower the process tube to the lower side outside the furnace body. Thereafter, the process tube is taken out by opening a door provided on a side portion of the main body.

Further, in the heat treatment apparatus configured as described above,
Conventionally, when a process tube is mounted on a furnace body, the process tube is transported to the vicinity of the outside of the lower space portion of the furnace body by a truck or a forklift, and stands upright at that location. Thereafter, the worker carries the process tube into the lower space of the furnace body, places the process tube on an elevator device provided in the lower space portion, lifts the process tube into the furnace body, and inserts the inside of the furnace body. I am trying to do it. Also, when removing the process tube from the furnace body, it is transported down to the lower space of the furnace body by an elevator device,
Thereafter, even when the process tube is moved from the inside of the lower space portion to the outside, the operator moves with the process tube.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, when the process tube is attached and detached, dust is generated, and the dust is scattered by the clean air supplied from the clean air unit, flows into the clean room from the opening, and contaminates the clean room. There was a problem that was.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides a heat treatment apparatus capable of preventing dust generated at the time of removing a process tube from flowing into a clean room and keeping the clean room always in a clean state. It is.

[Configuration of the invention]

(Means for Solving the Problems) A heat treatment apparatus according to the present invention includes a partition member for partitioning a clean room and a maintenance room, and a space portion in which a furnace body is provided on an upper side and a loading / unloading area of a workpiece is provided on a lower side. Is formed, a main body disposed on the maintenance room side of the partition member, a clean air unit provided for purifying an air atmosphere in the space portion, and a lower portion with respect to the furnace body. A vertical process tube detachably provided so as to be capable of being opened and closed, and an opening for entrance and exit of an object to be processed formed in the main body so as to communicate the space and the clean room; A door that is provided between the room and is opened at least when the process tube is carried in and out;
In a heat treatment apparatus for holding the object to be processed in a boat, carrying it into the furnace, and performing heat treatment, a contamination prevention plate is provided so as to be openable and closable with respect to the opening, and the process tube is mounted on the furnace body. In order to prevent contamination of the clean room due to dust generated in the main body, the opening for opening and closing the object to be processed is closed by the contamination prevention plate.

(Function and Effect) The heat treatment apparatus of the present invention enables the opening and closing of the prevention plate for shutting off the opening when closed with respect to the opening between the loading / unloading area of the object to be processed and the clean room on the lower side of the furnace body. With the configuration, when the process tube is taken out, the opening can be blocked by the contamination prevention plate to prevent dust from flowing into the clean room.

(Example) Next, an example of the heat treatment apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 6, a panel 3 is provided on the front surface of the heat treatment apparatus main body 2, and the panel 3 has an opening 4. The opening 4 connects the maintenance room and the clean room inside the main body 2 to each other. A process tube 6 is disposed inside the main body 2, and a door 16 is provided on the front of the main body 2, and a Pirani vacuum gauge 8, a remote panel 10, a temperature controller 12, and an operation plate 14 are disposed on the door 16. ing. In addition, a partition 26 is provided on the upper part of the main body 2. This partition 26 separates the maintenance room and the clean room.

As shown in FIG. 7, a maintenance door 18 is provided on a side surface of the main body 2, a temperature controller 20 for manual operation, an elevator controller 22 for controlling an elevator device described later, and a large number of ventilation holes 24 are provided. Is provided.

As shown in FIG. 8, a cylindrical vertical furnace body 28 composed of a resistance heater is provided above the inside of the main body 2, and a bottom plate 29 and a manifold 31 are provided below the furnace body 28.
8. A quartz process tube 6 is disposed so as to be able to move up and down substantially coaxially with respect to the manifold 31.

A clean air unit 33 that sends clean air, for example, a flat motor, is provided on the side facing the opening 4 with the process tube 6 interposed therebetween.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
Is formed with a convex portion 30. A pulley 32 is screwed to the projection 30 by a bolt 34. This pulley 32 has a leaf spring 36
Is wound, and one end of the leaf spring 36 is screwed to a convex portion 40 of a prevention plate (contamination prevention plate) 38 via a plate 42 by a bolt 44.

The prevention plate 38 is large enough to block the opening 4.

As shown in FIG. 4, this preventing plate 38 has a glass plate 4
6. A frame 48 and a viewing window 50 are provided via bolts 52 and nuts 54.

As shown in FIG. 5, a guide 58 is screwed to a square pipe 60 constituting a part of the main body 2. The guide 58 guides when the prevention plate 38 moves. Note that a packing 59 is provided between the guide 58 and the prevention plate 38. The packing 59 keeps the inside of the main body 2 airtight. Further, a handle 62 is protruded from the lowermost end of the prevention plate 38. The handle 62 is for a person to pinch it to move the prevention plate 38.

 Next, the operation of the heat treatment apparatus will be described.

The prevention plate 38 is normally housed inside the main body 2 above the opening 4 for taking in and out the wafer during the process. In this state, the maintenance room and the clean room of the main body 2 communicate with each other through the opening 4.

Next, when attaching or detaching the process tube 6, the handle 62 of the prevention plate 38 is pulled down. Since the upper portion of the prevention plate 38 is connected to the plate spring 36, when the prevention plate 38 is pulled down, the plate spring 36 wound around the pulley 32 is unwound, and both the plate spring 36 and the prevention plate 38 Move down and prevent plate 38
8 blocks the opening 4 as shown in FIG. When the process tube 6 is attached and detached in this state,
Even if dust is generated, the dust does not flow into the clean room due to the prevention plate 38.

When the attachment / detachment of the process tube 6 is completed and the handle portion 62 is pushed up, the leaf spring 36 is wound by the pulley 32,
The prevention plate 38 is pulled up, and the prevention plate 38 is stored in the upper portion of the main body 2 again.

According to this heat treatment apparatus, the prevention plate 38 is manually lowered to block the opening 4 only when dust is generated due to the attachment / detachment of the process tube 6 or the like. Even if dust occurs, dust does not flow into the clean room due to the prevention plate 38, and the clean room can always be kept in a clean state.

In this heat treatment apparatus, the case where the prevention plate 38 is manually moved has been described. However, the prevention plate 38 may be moved using a drive source such as a motor.

Next, a mechanism for moving the process tube 6 will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 9 to 11, a gantry 66 is suspended from a lower plate 64 installed on a floor 63, and a furnace body 28 is installed on a bottom plate 29 supported by the gantry 66. In addition, the process tube 6 can be inserted into and taken out of the inside of the main body 2 in the inside of the gantry 66, that is, in the lower space portion of the furnace body 28.

As shown in FIG. 2, a rail base 70 to which a rail 68 is attached is provided vertically on the lower plate 69, and a feed screw 72 is provided vertically along with the rail base 70 by being supported by a bearing 74. The feed screw 72 is rotated by an electric motor 74 provided on the bottom plate 29. An elevating body 78 is provided on the rail 68 via a bearing 76 so as to be able to ascend and descend, and the feed screw 72 is threaded through the elevating body 78. The elevating body 78 has an arm shape extending in the horizontal direction. The rail 68, the feed screw 72, the electric motor 74, and the elevating body 78 constitute an elevator apparatus as second elevating means.

A pair of supports 80 are fixed to the lower plate 64 of the gantry 66 in front of the feed screw 72 in parallel with an elevating body 76 with an interval therebetween. Rails 82 are mounted vertically. A lift plate 86 is provided on the rail 82 via a bearing 84 so as to be able to move up and down. The lifting plate
Reference numeral 86 is located above the elevating body 78, and a cutout portion 86a is formed corresponding to the elevating body 78.

One support 80 has a feed screw 90 which is rotated by an electric motor 88.
The feed screw 90 is screwed to a protruding piece 92 attached to an elevating plate 86. The rail 82, the lifting plate 86, the electric motor 88, and the feed screw 90 constitute a vertical moving device as first lifting means.

A pair of rails 92 are fixedly mounted on the upper surface of the elevating plate 86 in parallel with the support body 80 at an interval in parallel with each other, and arms 94 are movably fitted to the respective rails 92. I have.
The arm 94 is connected via a connector 94a. The elevating plate 86 is provided with a feed screw 96 adjacent to and parallel to one of the rails 94. The feed screw 96 is supported by a bearing 98 and rotated by an electric motor 100. Lead screw 96
Is screwed through a protruding piece 102 protruding from one arm 94. These arm 94, lead screw 96 and electric motor
Reference numeral 100 denotes a slide device serving as a slide means.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, the floor 63 near the outside of the gantry 66 is provided with an arm 94 of the slide device.
A delivery table 104 is disposed on the front side in the forward slide direction of the vehicle, and a jig plate 106 is placed on the upper surface of the delivery table 104. The width of the jig plate 106 is set larger than the interval between the arms 94. Arm 94 on jig plate 106
A notch 106a is formed at the center of the portion corresponding to the above, and a detachable jig 108 is detachably fitted to this notch 106a. The above-described process tube 6 is held upright by the detachable jig 108. A support ring 110 is attached to the lower end of the process tube 6, and the support ring 110 is fitted to a detachable jig 108.

Next, a case where the process tube 6 is mounted inside the main body 2 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 9, the process tube 6 is transported by a transport vehicle or the like to a transfer table 104 provided near the outside of the gantry 66, and a detachable jig 108 provided on the transfer table 104 via a jig plate 106 stands upright. Keep in state. Next, the feed screw 96 is rotated by driving the electric motor 100 of the slide device,
02, one arm 94 is slid in the horizontal direction from the gantry 66 along the rail 92 toward the transfer table 104 provided outside, and at the same time, the other arm 94 is connected via the connecting body 94a.
4 also slide forward together. After the arms are slid forward to a position below the transfer table 104, the motor 88 of the up / down movement device is driven to rotate the feed screw 90 and raise the elevating plate 86 via the projection 92. The arm 94 is raised by the lifting plate 86 to support the jig plate 106 placed on the transfer table 104. That is, the process tube 6 is supported via the attachment / detachment jig 108.

In this state, the feed screw 96 is rotated in the reverse direction by the electric motor 100, and the arm 94 slides back along the rail 92 from the outside to the inside of the gantry 66 to the horizontal instep. This causes the jig plate 106 supported by the arm 94 and the process tube 6 supported by the detachable jig 108 to retreat inside the gantry 66 (FIG. 10).

Then, the electric motor 74 is driven to rotate the feed screw 72 to raise the elevating body 78 along the rail 68. The elevating body 78 passes through the notch 86a of the elevating plate 86 as it rises, and the notch of the jig plate 106
The attachment / detachment jig 108 fitted to 106a is lifted and separated from the jig plate 106, thereby lifting the process tube 6. The elevating body 78 passes through the notch 106a of the jig plate 100, rises as it is, and stops when the process tube 6 is inserted into the furnace main body. Here, the work vehicle manually fixes the process tube 6 and the support ring 110 to the upper plate of the gantry (FIG. 11).

Thereafter, the feed screw 72 is rotated in the reverse direction by the drive of the electric motor 74 to lower the elevating body 78 to the lowest position, and the jig plate 106 is moved to the elevating body 7.
Remove from 8.

In this way, the process tube 6 can be moved from the outside of the gantry 66 and attached to the main body 2 without manual operation.

When the process tube 6 is detached from the main body 2 for the reason of exchanging the process tube 6 or the like, the operation is performed in a reverse order to the above-described operation order, so that the process tube 6 can be removed without manual operation. 2 to the outside of the gantry 66.

Thus, the process tube 6 can be moved and attached to and detached from the main body without manual operation, and the operation of moving the process tube 6 can be easily performed, thereby improving the economic efficiency and improving the safety. Can be done.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the main body having the opening on the clean room side, the furnace body provided in the main body, the process tube provided to be able to move up and down with respect to the furnace body, and the opening Since the heat treatment apparatus is provided with a preventive plate which is provided to be able to open and close with respect to the portion and shuts off the opening when closed, the opening is not normally shut off by the preventive plate when the heat treatment apparatus is used. The maintenance room and the clean room are communicated. When the process tube is attached / detached, the opening is blocked by the prevention plate, so dust generated when the process tube is attached / detached, etc. is shielded by the prevention plate, and does not flow into the clean room side, so the inside of the clean room is clean. Is kept.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged cutaway side view of a heat treatment apparatus for explaining an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an apparatus for moving a process tube of the heat treatment apparatus of FIG. 1, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a view from the maintenance room side, FIG. 4 is a view of the prevention plate of FIG. 1 from below, FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view of an end of the prevention plate of FIG. 4, and FIG. 1 is a front view of the heat treatment apparatus, FIG. 7 is a side view of the heat treatment apparatus of FIG. 1, and FIG.
FIG. 9 is a front view of a device for moving a process tube, and FIG. 9 to FIG. 11 are front views of a device for moving a process tube, showing a work sequence when the process tube is mounted on a main body. . 2 ... body, 6 ... process tube, 32 ... pulley, 38 ... prevention plate.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A partition member for separating a clean room from a maintenance room, and a furnace body provided on an upper side and a space portion serving as a carry-in / out area of an object to be processed formed on a lower side. Side, a clean air unit provided for purifying the air atmosphere in the space, and a vertical type detachably provided so that it can be taken out below the furnace body. A process tube, formed in the main body so as to communicate the space and the clean room,
An opening for the entrance of the object to be processed, and a door provided between the space and the maintenance room and opened at least when the process tube is loaded and unloaded, holding the object to be processed in a boat A heat treatment apparatus for carrying out heat treatment by carrying into the furnace body, wherein a contamination prevention plate is provided so as to be openable and closable with respect to the opening, and dust generated in the main body when the process tube is attached to and detached from the furnace body. A heat treatment apparatus, wherein an opening for entrance and exit of the object to be processed is closed by the contamination prevention plate in order to prevent contamination of the clean room by the above.